FireKeepers Casino

Daniel Underwood Leads 69 Day 1B Survivors; Mike Shanahan Seeks to Go Back-to-Back at FireKeepers

Day 1B of the 2017 MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship at FireKeepers Casino attracted 406 runners, which along with 1A’s 244 brought the total field up to 650 entries with Saturday’s Day 1C flight still to go.

That means 417 entries are needed to once again break our own record for largest poker tournament, both by attendance and prize pool, to ever be held in Michigan (the record is currently this past spring’s MSPT FireKeepers with 1,066 entries).

After 14 levels of play, just 69 survived from the 1B flight with Daniel Underhill (pictured) and his stack of 320,500 leading the way. He is seeking his first MSPT cash. Others who bagged big stacks were Brian Reinert (285,500), 2016 MSPT Iowa State Poker Champ John Sun (261,000), and Damon Blackburn (258,000).

When it comes to big names to bag and tag, all eyes were on Mike Shanahan, who is the defending MSPT FireKeepers champ. He didn’t win last year’s MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship, but he did come out on top of a 1,066-entyr field back in May to win $216,829. He’ll look to go back to back come Sunday with a stack of 221,000.

Others to make it through were Wendy Freedman (225,000), Mikiyo Aoki (154,500), two-time MSPT champs Jason Zarlenga (140,500) and Blake Bohn (139,500), MSPT Season 4 Player of the Year Pat Steele (135,000), two-time MSPT FireKeepers runner-up Adam Lamphere (88,000), and Casey Carroll (63,000).

Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to find a bag. The man who finished runner-up in last year’s MSPT Michigan State Poker Championship, Cy Church, fell by the wayside, as did World Series of Poker bracelet winner Jean “Prince” Gaspard; current Kimo Sabe Mezcal MSPT Season 8 Player of the Year leader Keith Heine; and former MSPT champs Jason Ramos, Michael O’Neill, Greg Himmelbrand, Carter Myers, Michael Ferrarotti, Ryan Dykhouse, Satish Thakur, Ken Komberec, and Dan Bekavac.

Day 1C will get underway at Noon local time on Saturday. Late registration will remain open until 6:30 pm ET. Once again, we’ll be bringing you all the action straight from the tournament floor, so be sure to join us then.

End-of-Day 1B Chip Counts

Five More Hands

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play five more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. Stay tuned for a list of survivors complete with chip counts, as well as a recap of the Day 1B action.

Andrew Schmeltz Gets Lucky to Double Through Chip

Andrew Schmeltz got his stack of roughly 35,000 all in preflop and was in a bad spot against chip leader Dan Underhill.

Underhill:
Schmeltz:

Schmeltz had a kicker problem, but fortunately for him it got resolved on the . Neither the turn nor river changed a thing, and Schmeltz dealt a small blow to Underhill.

Andrew Schmeltz - 75,000 (31 bb)

Alec Lenander Cracks Queens

A preflop raising war resulted in Alec Lenander getting his stack of 41,500 all in against Zachary Lowe, who barely had him covered.

Lenander:
Lowe:

It was a flip, and Lowe held on the flop. Unfortunately for him, the dealer burned and turned the to pair Lenander. The river was of no consequence and Lenander doubled through Lowe, who busted in the next hand.

Alec Lenander - 90,000 (38 bb)
Zachary Lowe - Busted

Jeremy Grable Has 99 Problems But a Kicker Ain't One

Jeremy Grable moved all in for 30,000 under the gun and he found a caller a couple spots over.

No one else looked him up and the hands were turned up.

Grable:
Opponent:

Grable held the better ace and it scored him the double after the board ran out a safe .

Jeremy Grable - 60,000 (30 bb)

John Sun Can't Be Bluffed By Jeff Hill

Hao “John” Sun raised to 5,000 UTG and found a caller in Jeff Hill in the big blind.

Hill checked the flop over to Sun, who continued for 7,000. Hill called and the duo saw a fall on the turn. Both players checked.

The on the river saw Hill lead out for 22,000, only for Sun to announce “All-in” and take a column of black 5k chips and place into the pot, putting Hill to the test.

Hill eventually folded, and Sun tabled for just the straight on the board.

“Don’t try to bluff me!” Sun said, laughing.

Hao “John” Sun - 190,000 (95 bb)
Jeff Hill - 90,000 (45 bb)

Big Slick Does the Trick for Zach Lowe

Zach Lowe moved all in for 31,600 from middle position and action folded all the way around to the player in the big blind, who called off for slightly less.

Lowe:
Big Blind:

A jack in the window on the flop left Lowe disgusted, but his frown was turned upside down when he saw that it was followed by a king. Neither the turn nor river impacted the hand and Lowe scored the elimination.

Zach Lowe - 64,000 (32 bb)

The $4,400 Man

Jeff Hill Scores A Late Elimination

A player opened to 5,000 from early-position, and was called by a player in middle-position. Jeff Hill shoved from the big blind for around 60,000, and the early-position raiser called off his last 38,000. The middle-position player folded, and the cards were tabled.

Hill:
Opponent:

Hill found the right side of the coin on the board, and the 17th place finisher from the spring event here at FireKeepers picks up a nice pot as Day 1B comes to a close.

Jeff Hill - 110,000 (55 bb)